[Effects of cold stress on energy metabolism in the chicken]

To investigate the effect of cold stress on the energy metabolism in Yisha chickens.

Male Yisha chickens were subjected to acute (0.25, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h) and chronic (5, 10 and 20 d) cold stress (12 +/- 1 degrees C). This study detected uncoupling protein (UCP) mRNA levels in gastrocnemius, glucagons (GLU) content in blood plasma and insulin (INS), blood glucose (BG) and free fatty acid (FFA) content in serum in the chicken.

The results were as follow: with the time lapsing during acute cold stress, UCP mRNA levels gradually increased, the content of INS and FFA showed fluctuant change, GLU content gradually increased, and BG content first increased and then decreased. During chronic cold stress, UCP mRNA levels significantly increased compared with their control group at every stress time point, and the content of INS, GLU, BG and FFA were all gradually increased with the time lapsing.

Cold stress could change the energy metabolism in chickens. And the different extent cold stress would produce different effects on the energy metabolism.